Preventive Measures
by Dreamer with a Dancer's Heart
Summary: The story behind the story... oneshot.


Disclaimer: The X-men do not belong to me, or my character. Duh!

The lime green numbers on the clock next to the bed shone in the darkness. Looking over her shoulder in the mirror on the dresser, she saw the reflection 55:5, which, when flipped around, is 2:22. She stretched and began to put away her work, not clicking off the flashlight she used to illuminate her drawings so she doesn't wake anyone up. Her flat-mates worry because she spends so little time sleeping, and so much time working. It was time to call it a night.

The creak of a door opening across the hall caused her to start and turn off the flashlight. She held her breath and stayed as still as she could, hoping that Kali would not realize she was still up. A knock on the door sent her heart plummeting.

"Are you still up? Go to bed, you have to get up at six tomorrow!" Kali whisper-shouted after she opened the door casting a small path of light across a floor littered with crumpled papers covered in colorful drawings of superheroes.

"I was just finishing this last page. Couldn't get the shading right on the jet," she replied just as quietly. After all, the two other girls sharing the fourth story flat would not appreciate a two a.m. wake-up call.

Kali looked at her thoughtfully. "I've been meaning to ask you this ever since I found out you were a comic book artist. Why do you do it?" She paused, unsure of how to continue. "I mean, why do you put so much of your time coloring and scribbling away at comics that most people see only as a form of entertainment? I've watched you. For you, it's not just something to pass the time on a plane somewhere; you treat it like an art form."

The artist gestured for her to enter the room and shut the door. Turning on the bedside lamp, she moved to the bed and offered Kali the desk chair.

"I've had you read all my work haven't I? I mean, you understand the plot and things like the different characters' powers and fears right?" At Kali's nod she continued. "Okay, you know how humans fear the mutants because they don't understand? Now, picture what their world would be like if the humans had a way of getting to know about the _homo-superior _without feeling threatened. Do you think they would have reacted the same way? Forming anti-mutant groups and testing facilities?" she broke off, waiting for an answer from her tiny audience.

"Not really," Kali's answer, simple and somewhat uncertain, made the artist smile and continue speaking.

"Now picture this, what if somewhere, some when in the future, today's sci-fi becomes reality. What if mutants become a real thing in our world? Because humans have become familiar with mutants through their fantasy world, they aren't as afraid. Sure, the concept of fiction becoming reality would be a shock to some, but it wouldn't produce mass chaos and potential destruction. I mean think about it. I've heard so many people speculate what they kind of power they would like to have. Comics like the _X-men_ kind of prepare us for things that may happen down the road."

"So you think that mutants will one day be real, that people who have control over the weather and can enter other people's minds will exist?" Kali said sitting up just a little bit straighter in her commandeered chair.

The artist sighed, "Yes, I do think that it is possible. Call me psychotic if you will, but evolution is a strange thing. We are no where near ready to predict what may or may not come next. We can only hope that, whatever the next stage is, we don't destroy ourselves in the process of reaching it. My work is more of a preventive measure than an art form," Clapping her hands softly, she stood. "But, you're right, I do have to get up early tomorrow, and so do you. Maybe we should just call it a night and continue this conversation some other time."

"All right," Kali stated on her way out the door. "By the way, thank you for telling me why it means so much to you," she smiled softly, and just before she shut the door behind her, she turned to look her friend directly in the eyes, "And just to let you know, those preventive measures you are taking, they're working. Whenever you are ready…" Turning around she shut the door softly behind her.

"Yeah, whenever I'm ready…" Without getting up, she brought her open palm to her mouth and blew gently in the direction of the lamp. With a quiet click, the light went out, and the lime green clock shone softly in the darkness.


End file.
